Liquid mixing device



March 4, T952 J. H. LARSH LIQUID MIXING DEVICE Filed Nov. 13, 1948 JAMES H. LARSH Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,588,255 LIQUID MIXING DEVICE James H. Larsh, Leadville, 0010. Application November 13, 1948, Serial No. 59,881

2 Claims.

This invention relates to spray devices and more particularly to those of the type in which soap or the like is mixed with water.

In bathing with the customary shower, which supplies water only, it is common practice to adjust the shower to the proper temperature and volume desired and soap the body with a bar of soap, leaving the shower run during the process. The bather may wet the body first and then step aside from the shower to apply the soap, or may remain under the shower applying the soap. With the former procedure there is an unnecessary loss of water during the soaping process, and during the latter there is an unnecessary loss of soap since the greater portion is washed from the body before the soap can be thoroughly rubbed thereon to achieve maximum cleansing with the minimum amount of soap.

It is, of course, possible to minimize both of the foregoing losses by turning off the shower during the soaping process. Few persons do this however, because of the inconvenience of readjusting the shower valves to obtain proper water temperature for rinsing the soap from the body,

or because of the discomfort due to chilling of the body while soaping. As a result, the usual person, to obviate inconvenience and discomfort,

permits the shower to run with the attendant loss of either water or soap as previously explained.

In many homes where a number of persons must bathe, the water heater is oftentimes inadequate to supply sufficient hot water for several showers with the result that under present methods of bathing a subsequent bather must either bathe with cold water or omit to bathe. It is apparent, therefore, that if a bather could properly soap the body and rinse it with a minimum amount of water and soap there would be a saving in cost of the water and soap, a saving in cost of heating the water, and greater potential capacity of the water heater to provide sufficient water for more bathers.

Children, in general, are especially wasteful in use of hot water. They enjoy standing under a warm shower for long periods of time, or until the hot water supply is exhausted, but are reluctant to apply bar soap to the body during such procedure with the result that the principal object of bathing is not fully achieved. It is difficult, moreover, to properly apply bar soap to portions of the back of the body without recourse to long handled brushes, or the like, with the result that these portions are oftentimes left uncleansed.

A principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a shower device which will mix a desired amount of soap with the water to effectuate thorough cleansing of the body with a minimum amount of water and soap.

Another object is to provide a shower arm and head which will replace those in present use to supply the desired mixture of soap and water.

Another object is to provide a shower arm with an auxiliary outlet to which a hose and fountain implement may be attached.

Another object is to provide a soap mixing device which may be attached to present bath tub water supply taps.

Another object is to provide a soap mixing device which may be attached to the taps employed in barber and beauty shopsin wash basins and the like.

A further object is to provide a safety valve in a soap reservoir which will prevent back flow of water thereto under all conditions of operation of the shower device.

Still further objects, advantages, and salient features will become apparent from a consideration of the specification to follow, the appended cla ms, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section. of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section of the right end of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is side elevation, partly in section, showing the application of the invention to a bath tub tap, and;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the application of the device shown. in Figure 4 to a wash basin or lavatory tap.

Referring in detail to the drawing, Figures 1 to 3 show one form of the invention in which the mixing device is applied to a bath shower. A shower arm In having a shower head I l on one end thereof replaces the customary shower arm.

Between the shower head and shower arm a valve I2 is interposed which is operated by a lever [3. Valve 12 is of conventional construction and regulates the volume, type of spray, and may also shut off the flow completely. Since the valve is conventional and forms no part of the invention per se a detailed illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary and is therefore omitted in the interests of clarity.

The right end of the shower arm is threaded at 4 to fit the usual pipe fitting (not shown) provided for a shower arm. The inside of this end is counterbored to receive a flange I5 on the end of a tube I 5. A screen H is also disposed Within the counterbore and the tube and screen secured to the shower arm by solder [8. The tube is tapered or necked down at I9 to a smaller size as shown at 20 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

In the wall of arm l0, adjacent portion 20, a valve 2| is provided having a suitable operating handle 22. A reservoir 23 is threadedly secured to the top of this valve and in the lower portion of the reservoir a seat 24 is provided against which a ball 25 seats upon reverse flow of water through valve 2|. A screen 26 is also interposed between the reservoir and valve which precludes passage of any large particles which may be present in the reservoir. While the reservoir may be made in various forms it has been shown with a cup shaped base 21 which frictionally receives a transparent cylindrical wall member 28 of plastic material such as Lucite, which permits visual inspection of the contents of the reservoir. A loose fitting cover 29 is provided on the top of the reservoir which is apertured at 30, this aperture forming a vent for the reservoir.

A by-pass valve 3| is threadedly secured to arm l between the shower head and reservoir. This valve is operated by a handle 32 and one end is tapered and suitably ribbed to retain a hose 33 thereon, this hose being connected to a fountain spray implement 34 which, for purpose of illustration; is shown as a brush. This implement may, of course, be any of those normally used with bath equipment such as a fountain sponge, spray head, wash cloth, or the like.

In operation, water is caused to flow through arm I!) by suitable hot and cold water valves (not shown) which are between the right end of the arm and the source of water supply, these valves being regulated to deliver water of desired temperature. The type of spray or rate of flow is then controlled by valve l2. Valve 2| is then adjusted to deliver liquid'soap to the water in desired proportion, this soap being drawn into the water stream by the aspirator effect of the water flowing through the restricted tube 20. In event it is desired to use a fountain implement such as brush 34, valve I2 is closed and valve 3| opened thus by-passing the shower head In event valve |2 should be closed with valve 3| also closed, water would tend to flow into reservoir 23 and dilute the soap or cause it to overflow. To preclude this, the ball check 25 is forced on the'seat 24 in event there is a tendency of water to flow to the reservoir.

In Figure 4' is shown another application of the invention. Tube H1 is constructed the same as the right side of tube Ill and supports therein tube I6 and filter screen I! in the manner previously described. This tube has threadedly secured thereto a suitable transition fitting 35 which carries a nipple 36. A nut, or other suitable shoulder 31 is fixedly secured to the outer end of the nipple and a nut 38 is rotatably mounted intermediate the ends. A rubber washer is interposed between the nut and shoulder and is proportioned to fit the inside mouth of a bath tub tap 40. Rotation of the nut 38 expands washer 39 into fluid sealing engagement with the tap. Metallic washers 4| are disposed on opposite faces of washer 39 to expand it. The other end of tube It is provided with a hose nipple 42 which receives a hose 3 as previously described.

In Figure is shown a slight modification of the device shown in Figure 4. Transition fitting 35 has secured thereto a nipple 36' which frictionally receives a short piece of rubber hose 43 which fits on the tap 46' used on a lavatory or wash basin, commonly found in barber and beauty shops. When used in this connection the device may supply soapy water for shampooing' the hair, and as in the previous embodiments, rinsing is efiected by closing the soap valve after the shampooing operation is completed.

While the invention has been described in connection with soaps the sole purpose of which isto cleanse, it is apparent that medicated or perfumed soaps which have secondary purposes may also be employed as well as other liquids 4 which may have medicinal or other value when used in a water spray. Also, the spray devices shown in Figures 4 and 5, while used in connection with bathing the body, such devices are applicable to other water taps for washing windows, automobiles, or other surfaces which require application of soapy water. Further modifications and uses within the spirit of the invention will become apparent, hence the precise details illustrated are to be considered as exemplary only and the invention not limited thereto except as defined by the scope of the appended claims. 9

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is: 9

1. A shower device for bathrooms comprising a horizontal tubular shower arm having means at one end thereof for connection to a source of water under pressure, a reservoir valve secured at the lower end thereof to the wall of said horizontal arm, a liquid soap reservoir secured to the upper end of said valve and disposed above the arm, an aspirator tube disposed within the horizontal arm adapted to increase the velocity of the water flowing through the arm, whereby liquid soap is withdrawn from the reservoir into the arm, a shower head secured to the other end of said arm a shower head valve interposed between the shower head and the horizontal arm for controlling flow of liquid to the shower head, and a by-pass valve is secured to the arm between the shower head valve and said aspirator tube.

2. A unitary shower and mixing attachment for a water. outlet in a bathroom, or the like, comprising, a conduit having means at one end thereof for detachably securing it to the outlet, a tube extending longitudinally within the conduit adjacent said end having a portion of reduced cross-sectional area providing a space therearound, a reservoir valve having one end in fluid communication with said space, a reservoir having an outlet at its lower end fixed to the upper end of the reservoir valve, a check valve interposed between the outlet and the reservoir valve, bathroom spray means in fluid communication with the other end of the conduit, a valve interposed between the spray means and the liquid delivery end of the conduit for controlling fiow of liquid to the spray means, and a by-pass valve secured to the conduit between said valve and said space, said valve and by-pass valve being operable to selectively deliver liquid through the spray means or through the by-pass valve, or simultaneously therethrough.

JAMES H. LARSH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,326,187 White I Aug. 10, 1943 

